Sealing wedge-lock washer and fastening system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11242884-B2
Application number	US-201916574904-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 18, 2019
Priority date	Sep 18, 2019
Publication date	Feb 8, 2022
Grant date	Feb 8, 2022

Abstract

A sealing wedge-lock washer assembly usable in a hygienic, secure fastening system. A wedge-lock washer assembly comprises two wedge-lock components—one of which is a sealing wedge-lock washer having a wedge-lock cam and a sealing material bonded to its outer rim. The other component is a standard wedge-lock washer or a bolt whose head has a wedge-lock cam that engages the complementary cam on the sealing wedge-lock washer. The resulting sealing wedge-lock washer assembly locks a bolt in a secure joint that is hygienically sealed from the intrusion of contaminants by the sealing material.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A sealing wedge-lock washer comprising:
a wedge-lock washer having an outer rim;
a sealing material affixed to the outer rim;
an annular first face extending radially outward from a central axial bore;
an obverse annular second face extending radially outward from the central axial bore;
a ring extending radially inward from the outer rim to the first face;
wherein a series of wedges is formed on the second face in a circular pattern about the central axial bore.

2. A sealing wedge-lock washer as claimed in claim 1 wherein the sealing material includes PTFE, EPDM, or a natural or synthetic rubber material.

3. A sealing wedge-lock washer as claimed in claim 1 wherein the sealing material is affixed to the outer rim by adhesive-bonding, overmolding, or vulcanizing.

4. A sealing wedge-lock washer as claimed in claim 1 wherein the ring extends radially inward to the second face.

5. A sealing wedge-lock washer as claimed in claim 1 wherein the ring has a face that is generally flush with the second face.

6. A sealing wedge-lock washer as claimed in claim 1 wherein the ring extends axially outward of the second face.

7. A sealing wedge-lock washer as claimed in claim 1 wherein the second face extends axially outward of the ring.

8. A sealing wedge-lock washer as claimed in claim 1 wherein the ring has an angled inner surface.

9. A sealing wedge-lock washer as claimed in claim 1 wherein the ring extends axially from the first face and past the second face and wherein the second face extends radially outward to the ring.

10. A sealing wedge-lock washer as claimed in claim 9 wherein a pattern of directional serrations is formed on the first face.

11. A sealing wedge-lock washer as claimed in claim 1 wherein the sealing material forms a single circumferential bead around the outer rim.

12. A sealing wedge-lock washer as claimed in claim 1 wherein the sealing material forms two circumferential beads around the outer rim.

13. A sealing wedge-lock assembly comprising:
a wedge-lock component including an annular cam face having cam wedges arranged about an axis;
a sealing wedge-lock component including an annular cam face having cam wedges arranged about an axis, an outer rim, and a sealing material affixed to the outer rim;
wherein the cam wedges on the cam face of the sealing wedge-lock component are complementary in shape to the cam wedges on the cam face of the wedge-lock component to form a wedge-lock engagement.

14. A sealing wedge-lock assembly as claimed in claim 13 wherein the wedge-lock component is a bolt and the sealing wedge-lock component is a washer mounted on the bolt.

15. A sealing wedge-lock assembly as claimed in claim 14 wherein the bolt has a head with a base and a shank extending from the base of the head and wherein the cam face is formed on the head of the bolt at the base.

16. A sealing wedge-lock assembly as claimed in claim 15 wherein the cam wedges of the bolt extend axially outward of the head of the bolt at the base.

17. A sealing wedge-lock assembly as claimed in claim 15 wherein the cam wedges of the bolt are recessed into the head of the bolt at the base.

18. A sealing wedge-lock assembly as claimed in claim 15 wherein the cam wedges of the bolt are generally flush with the head of the bolt at the base.

19. A sealing wedge-lock assembly as claimed in claim 13 wherein the cam wedges of the sealing wedge-lock component are radially inward of and extend axially outward of the outer rim.

20. A sealing wedge-lock assembly as claimed in claim 13 wherein the wedge-lock component is a wedge-lock washer having an obverse face extending with the cam face from a central axial bore to an outer rim defining an outer diameter and wherein the sealing wedge-lock component is a sealing wedge-lock washer including:
an obverse face extending from a central axial bore to the outer rim defining an outer diameter greater than the outer diameter of the wedge-lock washer;
a circular lip radially inward of the outer rim and extending axially from the obverse face and past the cam face of the sealing wedge-lock washer to a distal edge;
wherein the cam face extends from the central axial bore to the circular lip and is recessed radially and axially inward of the distal edge of the circular lip.

21. A sealing wedge-lock assembly as claimed in claim 20 wherein, when the cam wedges on the cam face of the wedge-lock washer are in contact with the cam wedges on the cam face of the sealing wedge-lock washer, the obverse face of the wedge-lock washer is axially outward of the distal edge of the circular lip of the sealing wedge-lock washer.

22. A sealing wedge-lock assembly as claimed in claim 20 wherein the cam wedges on the cam face of the wedge-lock washer are recessed into the cam face of the sealing wedge-lock washer.

23. A sealing wedge-lock assembly as claimed in claim 13 wherein the wedge-lock component is a wedge-lock washer having an obverse face extending with the cam face from a central axial bore to an outer rim defining an outer diameter and wherein the sealing wedge-lock component is a sealing wedge-lock washer including:
an obverse face extending from a central axial bore to the outer rim defining an outer diameter greater than the outer diameter of the wedge-lock washer;
a ring extending radially inward of the outer rim;
a cam face extending from the central axial bore to the ring.

24. A sealing wedge-lock assembly as claimed in claim 23 wherein the sealing material comprises two circumferential beads bonded to the outer rim.

25. A sealing wedge-lock assembly as claimed in claim 23 wherein the wedge-lock washer has a beveled surface and the sealing wedge-lock washer has an angled inner surface angled to accommodate the beveled surface of the wedge-lock washer.

26. A fastening system comprising:
a bolt having a head and a shank extending axially from the head;
a first sealing wedge-lock washer disposed between the head of the bolt and a workpiece through which the bolt is inserted and having a sealing material on an outer rim;
wherein the bolt includes a cam face having cam wedges on the head of the bolt extending radially outward from the shank and wherein the first sealing wedge-lock washer has a cam face with cam wedges that mesh with the cam wedges on the cam face of the bolt.

27. A fastening system as claimed in claim 26 wherein the bolt has a flanged head.

28. A fastening system as claimed in claim 26 for fastening a first workpiece to a threaded second workpiece wherein:
the bolt has threads at an end of the shank opposite the head;
a first sealing wedge-lock washer assembly mounted on the bolt between the head and a first workpiece to be attached to a second workpiece and including a first wedge-lock washer and the first sealing wedge-lock washer having the sealing material affixed to the outer rim, wherein the first wedge-lock washer engages the first sealing wedge-lock washer in wedge-lock engagement;
wherein the bolt extends through the first workpiece and is threaded into a threaded hole in the second workpiece tightly enough to lock the bolt to the second workpiece with the first sealing wedge-lock washer assembly and to compress the sealing material and form a seal between the head of the bolt and the first workpiece.

29. A fastening system as claimed

Assignees

• Laitram Llc

Inventors

• Mohan Jake A
• Degroot Michael Hendrik
• Batchelder Jeff

Classifications

• F16B39/282

  Locking by means of special shape of work-engaging surfaces, e.g. notched or toothed nuts · CPC title

• F16B43/001

  for sealing or insulation · CPC title

• F16B39/24 Primary

  by means of washers, spring washers, or resilient plates that lock against the object (locking to the screw-thread F16B39/14 {, F16B39/34}, F16B39/36) · CPC title